Starmer orders Foreign Office to explain after overruling Mandelson vetting

Then-British ambassador to the US Lord Peter Mandelson and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer at the ambassador’s residence in Washington DC in 2025 (Carl Court/PA) - (PA Wire)

Sir Keir Starmer has ordered the Foreign Office to explain how Lord Peter Mandelson was cleared to become UK ambassador to the US after it emerged the department had overruled a security vetting process.

The Prime Minister was not aware that the former Labour grandee was granted developed vetting against the advice of UK Security Vetting until earlier this week, the Government has said.